[Congressional Record: June 13, 2007 (Senate)]
[Page S7650-S7652]



          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS


      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Chambliss):
  S. 1613. A bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to
submit to Congress an unclassified report on energy security and for
other purposes; to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today Senator Chambliss and I are
introducing legislation that could have a far-reaching impact on the
national security of the United States. As every American knows, one of
the most important elements of our national security infrastructure is
the collection of agencies that make up our national intelligence
community. But when most Americans think about the CIA, the FBI, or the
NSA, they tend to think of agencies that are focused on a small handful
of James Bond-style issues, such as missile stockpiles, new weapons
technologies, and coups in foreign lands. These issues are still
important, but in the modem world it is essential to recognize that
protecting national security is a lot more complicated than it was
during the Cold War, and there are many other issues that require
attention and action.
  Thankfully, the men and women of the intelligence community already
recognize this crucial fact, and are working hard to address the wide
variety of threats and challenges that face America in the 21st
century. Unfortunately, many policymakers still think of intelligence
in 20th century terms, and as a result many of our national
intelligence capabilities are underused and underappreciated.
  The best example of this is unquestionably in the field of energy
security. American dependence on foreign oil has made our Nation less
safe. Oil revenues have provided income for dangerous rogue states,
they have sparked bloody civil wars, and they have even provided
funding for terrorism. In a sickening phenomenon that I call the terror
tax, every time that Americans drive their cars down to the gas station
and fill up at the pump, the reality is that a portion of that money is
then turned over to foreign governments that ``backdoor'' it over to
Islamist extremists, who use that money to perpetuate terrorism and
hate. As the GAO has pointed out, while talking about the oil-rich
nation of Saudi Arabia:

       Saudi Arabia's multibillion-dollar petroleum industry,
     although largely owned by the government, has fostered the
     creation of large private fortunes, enabling many wealthy
     Saudis to sponsor charities and educational foundations whose
     operations extend to many countries. U.S. government and
     other expert reports have linked some Saudi donations to the
     global propagation of religious intolerance, hatred of
     Western values, and support to terrorist activities.


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  Furthermore, by allowing our national energy security to depend on
foreign oil, we are leaving the American economy vulnerable to external
shocks and disruptions. Recent American history is full of examples of
events overseas jolting U.S. energy supplies, and just a couple decades
ago the oil cartel known as OPEC declared an embargo which sent the
U.S. economy into a tailspin.
  There are many other challenges out there that have the potential to
affect U.S. national security and energy security. For example, it
seems clear that the Middle East will remain in turmoil for years to
come, and policmakers will have to consider the potential impact of
events such as a terrorist attack on a major oil facility, or a change
in government in an oil-producing state, or the further deterioration
of the situation in Iraq. Outside of the Middle East there are other
challenges to face, including the continued growth of major energy
consuming countries like India and China, the policies of less-
predictable governments such as Russia and Venezuela, and the emergence
of new energy producers in unstable areas of the world.

  As policymakers attempt to grapple with these challenges, it is vital
for them to be informed by the best thinking available, and as I said,
the men and women of our national intelligence agencies are already
performing quality analysis on many topics relevant to national
security. This expertise is spread throughout the intelligence
community, and includes professionals at the National Intelligence
Council, the CIA's Office of Transnational Issues, and the Office of
Intelligence and Counterintelligence at the Department of Energy.
  Unfortunately, this expertise is rarely used to inform energy policy
debates, primarily because these agencies generally use it to produce
classified assessments. This means that I can discuss them in closed
sessions of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, but not at
hearings of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, even though
I am a member of both committees. This legislation would address this
problem by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to
coordinate the production of an unclassified report on the intelligence
community's assessments of key energy issues that have implications for
the national security of the United States. It will be up to the
intelligence agencies to determine what information can safely be
discussed in public, but I am confident that the Director will be able
to provide Congress with a report that includes thoughtful, insightful
discussion of these issues, without revealing any sensitive information
or compromising any sources and methods.
  This legislation is entitled the Weighing Intelligence for Smarter
Energy Act, or the WISE Act for short. I think that my colleagues and
the American public would agree that when it comes to protecting our
national energy security, it certainly wouldn't hurt for Congress to be
a little bit wiser.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1613

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Weighing Intelligence for
     Smarter Energy Act of 2007'' or the ``WISE Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The members of the intelligence community in the United
     States, most notably the National Intelligence Council, the
     Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence of the
     Department of Energy, and the Office of Transnational Issues
     of the Central Intelligence Agency, possess substantial
     analytic expertise with regard to global energy issues.
       (2) Energy policy debates generally do not use, to the
     fullest extent possible, the expertise available in the
     intelligence community.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON ENERGY SECURITY.

       (a) Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of National
     Intelligence shall submit to Congress a report on the long-
     term energy security of the United States.
       (2) Form of report.--The report required by subsection (a)
     shall be submitted in an unclassified form and may include a
     classified annex.
       (b) Content.--The report submitted pursuant to subsection
     (a) shall include the following:
       (1) An assessment of key energy issues that have national
     security or foreign policy implications for the United
     States.
       (2) An assessment of the future of world energy supplies,
     including the impact likely and unlikely scenarios may have
     on world energy supply.
       (3) A description of--
       (A) the policies being pursued, or expected to be pursued,
     by the major energy producing countries or by the major
     energy consuming countries, including developing countries,
     to include policies that utilize renewable resources for
     electrical and biofuel production;
       (B) an evaluation of the probable outcomes of carrying out
     such policy options, including--
       (i) the economic and geopolitical impact of the energy
     policy strategies likely to be pursued by such countries;
       (ii) the likely impact of such strategies on the decision-
     making processes on major energy cartels; and
       (iii) the impact of policies that utilize renewable
     resources for electrical and biofuel production, including an
     assessment of the ability of energy consuming countries to
     reduce dependence on oil using renewable resources, the
     economic, environmental, and developmental impact of an
     increase in biofuels production in both developed and
     developing countries, and the impact of an increase in
     biofuels production on global food supplies; and
       (C) the potential impact of such outcomes on the energy
     security and national security of the United States.

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Weighing
Intelligence for Smarter Energy Act, or the WISE Act. I worked with
Senator Wyden to introduce this bill and am happy to be an original
cosponsor.
  As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I see
some of the most sensitive products produced by our intelligence
community. The intelligence community's analysts possess an extensive
and wide range of expertise on all matters which could have national
security implications for the United States. However, because of the
secretive nature of the intelligence community and the sensitive work
which it conducts, few policymakers are privy to many of its products.
In most cases, this is essential in order to protect the sensitive
sources and methods used by our intelligence agencies. In other areas,
including matters related to global energy security, our intelligence
analysts can provide some valuable analysis at an unclassified level.
  Energy policy and energy security have far reaching implications for
the United States. As the country recognizes the danger of relying on
imported oil, we need to develop an energy policy that is aggressive
while at the same time thoughtful. Renewable fuels like ethanol and
biodiesel are not the solution to our problems, but they can help
reduce our dependence on imported oil from unstable regions of the
world during a time of rising crude oil prices. At the same time, we
must understand and be prepared for the unintended consequences of
pursuing alternative fuel policies and to be sensitive to their impact
on other sectors of the U.S. and global economies. Already, incentives
for ethanol and biodiesel in the United States, Europe, Brazil and
other developed and developing countries are forcing changes in the
agriculture economy not seen in over a generation. While rising demand
for alternative fuels will increase prices for agriculture commodities
and benefit farmers, will this increase strain development in
developing countries, in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa? We don't
know yet, but these are questions we should and must ask.
  We already know the impact poverty and food insecurity has on
populations around the world. However, policymakers, especially here in
Congress, are not realizing the full extent of information available to
them. Energy policy debates usually do not harness the full expertise
of the intelligence community or consider the substantive analysis they
may contribute to the debate. Experts in the intelligence community may
examine the effects of energy policy around the globe and the impact
those decisions may have on U.S. policy. In addition, the intelligence
community can provide an analysis of the impact around the world of
policies that utilize renewable resources. This legislation asks for
just that type of analysis.
  The WISE Act asks the intelligence community to provide an
intelligence

[[Page S7652]]

assessment on the long-term energy security of the United States. The
bill requests that as much of the assessment as possible be
unclassified, while taking into consideration the need to protect
valuable sources and methods by including a classified portion, it is
my hope that this bill will better inform energy policy. In addition to
informing policymakers of the energy security of the United States, the
bill will also provide important analysis on the international impact
of energy policies around the world.
  The WISE Act will harness fully the expertise of our intelligence
community and allow policymakers to formulate more informed energy
policy. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.
                                 ______